Portable combined grill and charcoal starter



Jan. 12, 1960 M. E. PHELPS 2,920,614

PORTABLE COMBINED GRILL AND CHARCOAL STARTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1957 TIG.2

INVENTOR.

Mo RTON E P E L95 ATTOEMEHS Jan. 12, 1960 M. E. PHELPS PORTABLE COMBINED GRILL AND CHARCOAL TARTER Filed June '7, 195'? 2 sheetsshaet 2 INVENTOR. Moan-0N E. PHELPS AT ToQuEY 4g, 44 BY United States Patent-Office Patented Jan. 12, 1960 2,926,614 PORTABLE CoMiimEi) GRILL AND CHARCOAL STARTER Morton E. Phelps, Little Rock, Ark. Application June 7, 1957, Serial Na. 664,436 2 Claims. (31. lie-2s This invention relates to a portable combined grill and charcoal starter, and more specifically, the instant invention pertains to a unit especially designed to fire charcoal and subsequent to the firing of the charcoal to utilize the unit as a grill thereabove.

Of recent years, the public has evinced considerable interest in cooking over inside or outside grills which utilize charcoal as the fuel therefor. However, the problem of starting the charcoal to burn presented many difficulties which were not heretofore, successfully met. Electrical means have been employed, for example, but such means required ready access to an electric circuit or power line thereby limiting the range and use of the grill, 'or if battery means were utilized, the user frequently found that the batteries were dead or completely discharged thus rendering the electrical heating means ineffective. Again, it has been frequently proposed to employ a liquid fuel to start the charcoal to burn. This was found, frequently, to be an unsatisfactory answerto the problem for in many instances the user would fail to check the liquid fuel container in order to ascertain that suffic-ient fuel remained therein to effectively fire the charcoal. Further, it has been found that should the user be successful in starting the charcoal to burn, it was necessary to employ fan means to create a sufficient draft to effect satisfactory combustion of the charcoal fuel.

Therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a satisfactory charcoal firing device which obviates all of the difliculties noted above in connection with known prior art practices.

A further object of this invention is to provide a charcoal starting device which works on the principle of a chimney.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which may, after the charcoal has been fired, be utilized as a grill. It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of the type referred to supra which is non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of thefollowing specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which: Figure l is a perspective view of the charcoal starter and grill constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention, the figure also illustrating one application thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed cross sectional view of the device illustrated in Figure l, theview being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed cross sectional view taken substantially on the horizontalplane of line 3--3 of Figure 2', looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 vis a perspective view of the device illustrated in Figure 1', this view illustrating the unit in a second operative position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device illustrated in Figure l, the device in this view illustrating a third operative position; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed cross sectional view taken substantially on the vertical plane of line6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference'numeral 10 designates, in general, a charcoal starter and grill constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device 10 is seen to comprise an elongated substantially U-shaped metallic channel member 11 of generally rectangular configuration having a bight portion 12 from the sides of which extend a pair of laterally spaced substantially rectangular confronting side walls 14, 16, having a plurality of outer end edges 15, 15' and 17, 17. The longitudinal side edges 19, 19 of the side walls 14, 16 terminate in a pair of elongated integrally connected flanges 18 and 20, respectively, the flanges 1 8, '20 projecting laterally away from their respective associated side wall in opposite directions. The end edges 17, 17' of the side walls 14, 16 (as viewed in Figure 4) terminate in a pair of laterally projecting integrally connected flanges 22, 24. To serve a function to be described below, the lower ends of the flanges 18, 20 terminate at 18' 20', respectively at points adjacent to but spaced from the adjacent ends of the flanges 22, 24.

The side wall 14 is provided with a plurality of apertures 26 adjacent the edge 15' thereof, and a second series of rows of apertures 28 downwardly spaced from the apertures 26 and disposed proximate the flange 22. The apertures 26 are aligned with apertures 30 formed in the end edge 15 of the side wall 16, and the apertures 28 are aligned with a second series of apertures 32 formed in the side wall 16. The aligned rows of apertures 26, 30 and 28, 32 are adapted to slidably receive therethrough a plurality of tines 34 having one of their respective adjacent ends fixedly connected together at 36 to form a common handle member 38 (see Figure 3 of the drawings) of a grill 35.

Reference numeral 40 designates, in general, an elongated substantially rectangular slide plate the opposed longitudinally extending sides of which are reverted at 42, 44 to form a pair of longitudinally extending grooves 46, 48. As is seen in the drawings, the longitudinal dimension of the slide plate 40 is smaller than the longitudinal dimensions of the side walls 14, 16 in order to serve a function to which reference will be made below. The slide plate 40 is slidably mounted on the device 10, the flanges 18, 20 being slidably received within the grooves 48 and 46, respectively, the aforementioned grooves and the flanges 18, 20 forming a means between the slide plate and the side walls of the channel member detachably and slidably connecting the slide plate thereto.

Reference numeral 50 denotes, in general a conventional charcoal grill as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the charcoal grill is seen to comprise a substantially hollow cylindrical member having a pairof oppositely disposed. open and closed ends and includes a substantially circular bottom wall 52 having a circumferentially extending integrally connected side wall 54. A plurality of laterally spaced and substantially parallel circular rods 56 extend across the open end of the grill 50, and their respective opposed ends are fixedly secured to the upper end of the side wall 54 by conventional means. The grill 50 is completed by securing to the bottomwall 52 thereof one of the ends, respectively, of a plurality of supporting legs 58.

Having described the present invention in detail, a few ately hereafter.

made specifically to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. As is seen therein, the device 10 is placed upon the grill 50 'in substantially upright position with the flanges 22, 24 extending across and engagingthe rods 56 of the grill 50.

The tines 34 of the lowermost one of the grills 35 are now inserted through the aligned apertures formed in the placed upon the tines 34. The second one, or the uppermost grill 35 is now mounted on the device 10 with its respective tines 34 extending through the aligned open- "ings formed in the side walls 14, 16 adjacent the upper .ends thereof. A small amount of paper P or other comthe charcoal C. With the slide plate in its uppermost position as is illustrated in Figure 1, the device 10 functions as a chimney a natural draft of air being drawn therein through the open lower end of the device 10 and the exposed side of the device 10 immediately below the lower end of the slide plate 40.

After the charcoal C has started to burn, the operator grasps the handle 38 of the uppermost one of the grills 35 and steadies the unit 10 as at the same time he grasps the handle 38 of the lowermost one of the grills 35 and Withdraws the same from the device 10 thereby causing the now ignited charcoal to fall into the grill 50. The lowermost one of the grills 35 may now be replaced in the positions shown in Figure 1 and either of the grills 35 may be thereafter utilized in the processing of foods.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 of the drawings in which another application of the device 10 is. disclosed. As is seen in this figure, the slide plate 40 has been moved partially downwardly from the position illustrated in Figure l to provide a windbreak on three sides thereof and the device 10 has been inverted so that the flanges 22, 24' may be used as support members for a vessel or other cooking utensils. The slide plate 40 may be moved upwardly or downwardly in order to control the draft through the device 10.

Figure 5 illustrates another use of the device 10. In this figure, the device has been turned from the position shown in Figure 1 so that the bight portion 12 now engages against the rods 56 of the grill 50. The grills 35 are withdrawn from their respective apertures and are extended across the bight portion 12 in vertically spaced relation relative thereto, the opposite ends of the tines 34 thereof being supported upon the longitudinally extending flanges 18, 2 0. With the device 10 disposed in this position, the slide plate 40 may be completely removed from engagement with the flanges 18, 20 or may optionally be only partially disengaged therefrom as is illustrated in the phantom lines in Figure 5. The slide plate-being disposed in this extended position may serve as a support for foods to be cooked and also to maintain the cooked food in a position adjacent the charcoal in order to'p revent excessive loss of heat therefrom.

As shown in Figure 3, the grooves 46, 48 of the slide plate 40, coupled with the flanges 18, 20 of the side walls 14, 16, constitute inter-engaging flange means for effecting a slidable, detachable connection therebetween.

If desired, the slide plate 40 may be completely removed from the flanges 18, 20 and slidably mounted on the flanges 22, 24 in the manner illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, in this position the flanges 22, 24, coupled with the grooves 46, 48, also constitute an inter-engaging flange means. In this position, the slide plate 40 may be also moved up and down and thereby control the flow of air through the device 10.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the ap sidewalls 14, 1'6 and a supply of charcoal is thereafter pended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined charcoal starter and grill comprising an elongated substantially U-shaped channel member having a pair of opposed open ends, said member including a bight portion having a substantially rectangular side wall integrally connected with each longitudinally extending edge thereof, said side walls being disposed in spaced, substantially parallel and confronting relation relative to each other, an elongated substantially rectangular slide plate extending across the open side of said U-shaped member, the longitudinal dimension of said slide plate being less than the longitudinal dimensions of said side walls, means slidably connecting said slide plate with said side walls, said slidably connecting means comprising a longitudinally extending side flange projecting laterally and outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge' of each of said side walls, and the longitudinally extending sides of said slide plate being reverted to form a pair of longitudinally extending grooves to slidably receive said side flanges therein, each of the outer end edges of said side walls at a pair of adjacent ends thereof being provided with an integrally formed outwardly projecting end flange optionally engageable within said grooves after said slide plate has been detached from said side flanges, one of said side walls being provided with a plurality of vertically and laterally spaced apertures and the other of said side walls also being provided with a plurality of vertically and laterally spaced apertures, the apertures of each side wall being arranged in'parallel rows extending at substantially right angles to the outer longitudinal edge of the side wall, corresponding rows of the respective apertures being disposed in confronting aligned relation relative to each other, and a pair of grills, each of said grills including a plurality of laterally spaced and elongated tines, said tines being releasably secured within the apertures of said confronting aligned rows.

2. A combined charcoal starter and grill comprising an elongated, U-shaped channel member of generally rectangular configuration having confronting side walls which have longitudinal side edges and end edges, a slide plate extending across the open side of said channel member, means between said slide plate and the longitudinal side edges of said side walls of said channel member, detachably, slidably connecting said slide plate thereto, said side walls including a plurality of outer end edges provided with integrally formed, inter-engaging projecting end flanges, optionally engageable with said slide plate, and said "slide plate being further optionally engageable with said longitudinal side edges, one of said side walls being provided with a plurality of vertically and laterally spaced apertures, and the other of said side walls also being provided with a plurality of vertically and laterally spaced apertures, the apertures of each side wall being arranged in rows extending substantially parallel to said outer end edgesof said side walls, corresponding rows of apertures formed in said side walls being disposed in confronting aligned relation relative to each other, and a pair of grills, each of said grills including a plurality of laterally spaced elongated tines, said tines being releasably secured within the apertures of said confronting aligned rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent (Other references on following page) 6 Wolfson et a1 Mar. 13, 1956 LaBorn June 17, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Aug. 10, 1939 Great Britain June 21, 1917 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1911 Great Britain 1910 

